This disclosure includes references to a microfiche appendix containing a computer program code listing collectively called Appendix A. Microfiche Appendix A includes a total of 62 frames on 2 microfiche sheets.
A portion of the disclosure of this patent document contains material which is subject to copyright protection. The copyright owner has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears in the patent and trademark office patent files or records, but otherwise reserves all copyrights whatsoever.
The present invention relates to the field of coin-operated arcade games. More particularly, this invention relates to a coin-operated arcade game commonly referred to as a xe2x80x9ccrane game.xe2x80x9d The invention relates to a method of allowing the player to purchase additional playing time to extend the game play in a given round, and could be applicable to other types of coin-operated games.
Crane games themselves are not new. For instance, U.S Pat. No. 4,718,667 discloses a basic X-Y movement crane game. That disclosure is incorporated by reference herein. However, various methods of controlling the duration and possible outcomes of the game exist.
In one of the conventional methods, the player deposits a given amount of money, which when detected by the conventional mechanics, circuitry, and programming of the machine, provides for a predetermined fixed amount of playing time. During this time, the player typically uses a joystick to control the head of the crane and position it along X and Y axes over the prize sought. Then, the player pushes a button to drop the claw on the crane head down along the Z axis into the pile of prizes observable through the clear window at the front of the machine. When a claw reaches the bottom of its allowable Z movement or xe2x80x9cstroke,xe2x80x9d the claw closes automatically and returns to its home position. If the player was lucky or skillful enough to grab a prize with the claws, the prize falls into a prize box where the player can reach it.
Normally, play is ended when either the time expires or the player successfully captures a prize, whichever occurs first. To continue play, the player must purchase a new game after the time has expired in the first game. Since the claw returns to the home position at the end of each game, the player loses valuable time repositioning the claw over the desired prize in the new game. Furthermore, the player can only win once in a given round. There is a need for a method of giving the player an opportunity for extending play and increasing the number of opportunities for winning prizes during a given round in a coin-operated crane game.
A primary objective of the present invention is the provision of a method for extending playing time in a coin-operated crane game.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a method of extending playing time which allows the player to buy additional playing time once a signal indicates that limited time is remaining in the present game.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a method of extending playing time which helps avoid unnecessary repositioning of the claw.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a method of extending playing time in a coin-operated crane game wherein the player can win as many prizes as time permits by inserting additional coins before the current period is over.
Another objective of the present invention is the provision of a method of extending playing time allowing the player to extend playing time at any time in a given round.
These and other objectives will be apparent from the drawings, as well as from the description and claims that follow.
The present invention relates to a method of extending game playing time in a coin-operated arcade game. The method includes the steps of checking for additional coins during playing time and recalculating the allotted playing time accordingly. An alert signal can be provided to the player when the allotted time is about to expire. The method can also include a xe2x80x9cprize detection with time remainingxe2x80x9d step that allows the player to continue playing and winning multiple prizes so long as time (original time plus xe2x80x9cbuy-inxe2x80x9d time) has not expired.